[CPEO-BIF] EPA SEEKS COMMENT ON TITLE VI PROPOSAL

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

US EPA Headquarters Press Release
Washington, DC

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2000
EPA SEEKS COMMENT ON TITLE VI PROPOSAL

EPA today released for public comment combined draft civil rights and
environmental protection guidance in its effort to protect public health
and economic progress while ensuring that pollution does not unfairly and
disproportionately affect minority communities.

The guidance released today comes under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 and EPA's Title VI regulations. Title VI bars intentional
discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in all
programs or activities that receive federal funding. EPA and all other
federal agencies are required to adopt and enforce regulations to ensure
against discrimination. EPA's Title VI regulations prohibit actions that
either intentionally discriminate or have the effect of discriminating. 

Like every community in America, minority communities want and deserve
water that is safe to drink, lakes and rivers safe for fishing and
swimming, air that is healthy to breathe and land free from toxic waste -
as well as good jobs. When some minority communities believe they have been
disproportionately affected by pollution because of their race, EPA has a
legal responsibility to address those complaints on their merits in a fair
and timely manner. 

EPA's experience with Title VI and other areas has proven that robust
economic growth and strong environmental protections - and protections of
civil rights -- go hand in hand. The guidance announced today provides a
means for opening up a dialogue among members from all parts of a
community - both business and community leaders - so that they can work
together on common solutions to grievances and serve the entire
community. EPA believes that if people have the opportunity to sit down
together and listen to one another, common-sense, cost-effective solutions
that work for everyone can be obtained. 

Today's draft proposal, on which EPA will take comment for 60 days, is the
result of extensive public discussions, including more than a hundred
individual citizen comments, wide-reaching consultation with state and
local officials and stakeholders, and a series of discussions with a
specially-formed 23-member Title VI Advisory Committee.

The draft guidance is contained in two documents, Draft Recipient Guidance
and Draft Revised Investigations Guidance.

The Draft Recipient Guidance is designed specifically to help recipients of
federal funds address their Title VI responsibilities. Prepared at the
request of states, this guidance helps recipients address situations that
might result in the filing of complaints alleging violations of Title VI.
The Draft Revised Investigation Guidance provides a framework for EPA's
Office of Civil Rights to process complaints of discrimination filed under
Title VI. It sets forth a clear and detailed explanation of the way EPA's
Office of Civil Rights will process Title VI complaints. 

Taken together, the new guidance reaffirms EPA's commitment to enforcing
both environmental and civil rights laws. It provides a blueprint for
community and business leaders to work together alongside state and local
governments to develop new efforts to reduce clear environmental impacts
when they plainly violate the civil rights of minority communities.

The guidance is available on the EPA website at
http://www.epa.gov.civilrights. 

R-94 # # #

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To read CPEO's archived Brownfields messages visit
http://www.cpeo.org/lists/brownfields

If this email has been forwarded to you and you'd
like to subscribe, please send a message to
cpeo-brownfields-subscribe@igc.topica.com 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
___________________________________________________________
T O P I C A  The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics